Updated 2025 fall vaccine guide

Finally. After a series of stalled dominoes in the fall vaccine rollout, Monday marked the last step (CDC Director signed off), and we’re officially back on track: RSV, flu, and Covid-19 vaccines are now available to all.

Things have been changing fast, and media headlines haven’t exactly helped (many have been confusing or flat-out wrong). So I’ve pulled everything together for you in one place: an updated guide to the 2025 fall vaccines—what, when, and why—along with answers to top questions and useful resources for you and your community.

There are nuances for those seeking ultimate protection, but in the end, the best vaccine is the one you get!

This post builds on a previous YLE that takes a deeper dive into all the options (the who, what, when, and why). Start HERE if you missed it!

Below is a high-level summary. You can download the PDF at the end of this post.

Updates since last month:

• Covid-19 vaccination is now recommended by the federal government and professional organizations for everyone over age 6 months.

  • CDC’s recommendation is slightly different from last year’s; it now includes language referred to as “individual decision making” or “shared clinical decision making” (SCDM). This is what doctors and pharmacists already do—empower you to make the best, evidence-informed decisions. Historically, SCDM has been used for vaccines that aren’t routinely recommended for everyone. For example, adults deciding whether to get catch-up HPV vaccines for themselves use this approach, since the benefits may be smaller with age but are still worthwhile for some. This year, HHS added this statement for all Covid-19 vaccines to make it seem like they were giving choice back to individuals, even though they’ve had it all along. In practice, the SCDM language update makes little to no difference to you.

  • Clinicians: If you have questions about SCDM, visit HERE for an in-depth explainer.

• Flu vaccine: No changes have been made since the last update. However, we do have great news: CDC reported that the vaccine this year had a 50% effectiveness against hospitalization in the Southern Hemisphere. Every year, we have to make an educated guess on what flu strains to include. It’s an art and a science, so sometimes the vaccine formula doesn’t always align perfectly with the circulating virus. However, we live in the Northern Hemisphere, which has an advantage: the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season occurs first, allowing us to observe how well the vaccine works. This effectiveness number is on the higher end of typical years, which is good news.

We asked the YLE community across all platforms for their questions and received hundreds of responses. Many questions can be answered by referring to the guide.

Here are a few more:

1. Why can you still get the virus after receiving the vaccine? For viruses like Covid-19 and flu that live in our noses and throats, it’s tough to block infection completely because they replicate quickly and change often. Vaccines help your body fight it faster and harder by training your immune system to recognize a virus so it can jump into action the moment you’re exposed.

2. RSV eligibility confusion. Lots of it! Check out the image above for the ideal timing and eligibility requirements. For older adults, the recommendation remains one shot in their lifetime so far. This may change, as scientists watch waning in real time.

3. Do we really need a Covid-19 vaccine every year—or would skipping a year be better? An annual dose continues to provide additional protection to everyone, including children. For example, the latest data continue to show that the Covid-19 vaccine offers 40-80% additional protection for kids in preventing visits to urgent care, compared to kids who didn’t receive the vaccine. This is comparable to the flu vaccine. We cannot “overwhelm” our immune systems, and our immune systems don’t need a break from vaccines. Every day, our immune systems are exposed to thousands of microbes; it can handle our vaccine schedule.

4. How do I know my Covid-19 vaccine is the updated version? All Covid-19 vaccines currently available are the updated versions. The FDA no longer approves the license for last year’s formula, so doctors’ offices had to discard these.

5. Do I need a prescription to get a Covid-19 vaccine? It depends on the state, but the vast majority of states don’t need a prescription.

6. Which Covid-19 vaccine should I get—mNEXSPIKE, Spikevax, or Novavax—and how do they compare? All are good options. Novavax seems to be better for fewer short-term side effects (like fever) in certain people (like me!) mNEXSPIKE appears to be more effective for older adults. This is because it focuses only on the two most important parts of the spike protein—the parts that help the virus attach to and enter cells—rather than the entire spike like Spikevax does. This design helps older adults’ immune systems focus on making stronger, more targeted antibodies.

7. Are vaccines covered by insurance? Yes.

8. Can I get the vaccines all at once, or should I space them out? You can safely get them at the same visit; it’s convenient and avoids delays. If you tend to feel crummy after shots, spacing is reasonable.

9. Are we at risk of losing herd immunity for Covid-19? We have never achieved herd immunity, and it’s not feasible due to the simple fact that SARS-CoV-2 infects so many animal species that it can constantly be reintroduced in a mutated form to cause new infections. Vaccination has helped to reduce severe illness and mortality drastically, and it does prevent transmission a little.

1. Vaccine finders. Unfortunately, the government vaccine finder is no longer available. CVS has a good vaccine locator. There are two other finders I am aware of (CVEEP and Boston’s Children), but both have a significant limitation: they only identify pharmacies, not whether they have vaccines in stock. It’s best to call ahead of time.

2. Be sure to sign up for V-safe! This is a safety monitoring system that allows you to report side effects (or lack thereof) after vaccination by completing brief check-ins.

For paid subscribers, I have two additional items for you.

3. Webinar recording: We had a packed house at the YLE webinar on fall vaccines. I presented the “translated” science in a series of slides, and then we answered a multitude of questions live. Many have asked for the recording. You can find it above!

4. An updated PDF one-pager summary. Display it in your clinics, share with friends, or doodle on it. At your request, we now have a Spanish version available! Download below.